During the night he had a period where his heart ran too fast and irregularly due to the artificial elevation of his blood pressure. This was not unexpected, but did take some intervention. This morning the doctor came in and pretty much reassured us that he is getting the best treatment available. They did try to insert another sensor (arterioline) to allow them to better and more quickly monitor the way the meds are working. Unfortunately they couldn’t get the probe to go through the arteries because of the constriction caused by the meds…that’s not the way they would say it, but I think that’s stating it somewhat correctly in layman’s terms.

Poor guy-he really didn’t want them to do it, willingly accepted their advice, and then saw it fail to work, leaving him with some more sore spots and more reason to be discouraged. Overall condition seems to be better, body control and language definitely better than a day earlier.

Tom didn’t have a very good day. Speech wasn’t good and later in day his right hand became numb again. He had been moved out of ICU and to floor 6, but we’re now back up in ICU. The doctors are going to try to raise his blood pressure again, on oxygen, and his point of entry for surgery began bleeding so he’ll need to lay flat again for six hours. It began bleeding because Tominsisted getting out of a chair and on bed nearly by himself. His strength in his right arm wasn’t there to help him pull up, and the patch came off. The bleeding was stopped, and no major issues there. Just lay flat for six hours. He needs sleep, but won’t really let himself do that.

Keep praying

After a relatively good night,  things have rapidly declined.  The doctors decided they had done all they could do for him in the ICU and transferred him to a more standard room.  Throughout the day his stroke-like symptoms increased and they have now taken him in for another cat scan and then back to ICU.  Tom is understandably devastated.  We ask for your heartfelt prayers.

Where do I begin? You can’t imagine how BLESSED we feel. Each of you have wrapped your arms around us, and that feels so good. The events of the past few days have been the scariest and hardest days of my life. Truly God has been at work. So keep the prayers going, it’s working!!!!! Currently, Tom is sleeping- finally. He is so scared to go to sleep, and he won’t wake up the same or worse. The night was very rough up to about 7:30 this morning. They took him to have a scan at about 2 in the morning, thinking he was bleeding somewhere. That came back okay. He was scheduled for another MRI at 8am. and it didn’t show anything new or out of the ordinary. Since 11am, Tom has been talking better and can identify object, knows his name, lift his arms, wiggle his toes,and stick out his tongue. He’s very groggy and working to figure out the time line of events since 1pm Tuesday. He was even given food, not much but some. I am hopeful that he’ll have a restful night and continued improvement tomorrow. Oh, they also put him on a continuous EEG to help identify if and when seizures are caused by TIA’s or vise versa. Medicines will then be determined how to control events and surgery is no longer an option.

I will be going home tonight to sleep, I’ve been up since 6:30 am Tuesday. Peggy and Verle will keep watch over my precious Tom.

God Bless to everyone and keep praying We feel it.
Love you all so much Karen

We’ve talked with Dr. Thorell and final very good about the direction he’s planning to take. The angiogram is scheduled for 1pm (doctor time). At this time no intervention will be done unless it looks to be the only option. The EEG done on Saturday showed the seizures could be present. It’s all very perplexing. What’s causing the aphasia’s, is everything related, one causing the other, or non of the above. What we do know is that something isn’t right, but where’s the source?

Thanks for the prayers, Karen

Tom has been moved to the Med Center and is in the Clarkson Tower.
We’re waiting for the doctor to get out of surgery and come talk to us.
It looks as if the angiogram will be tomorrow, but the time hasn’t been confirmed. Likely early afternoon 12:30 ish. After they complete the test, they’ll come talk to us about their findings and go from there.

The Med Center is a very big place. I got lost a bit finding my way to his room the first time through. Discovered it was easiest to park in the purple or orange parking lot just off 42nd street. Not sure why, but they put him in the Peter Kiewit &Sons, Inc. Suite.

That’s all I have for now.
Karen

Tom went back into the hospital Thursday afternoon because he was experiencing the speech confusion and had tingling in his right hand again. Tom was put back on IV of Heparin and that seems to keep him stable with no major issues. His ability to say what he wants is what’s most affected, and driving him crazy. A speech therapist has been working with him to help with that. Another round of test were given and some new ones like an EEG. The tests have mostly shown normal functions, except for the left carotid artery where there is narrowing up near the brain. So, after several consultations with a variety of doctors, the plan is to move Tom to the med center tomorrow. On Tuesday, a specialist will perform a more evasive procedure to get a better look of the artery. This specialist is the only one in Nebraska that does surgery in this area, so if repair work is needed when they look on Tuesday this doctor can go ahead and repair things. The test has a risk factor of 1 in 200 for having a full blown stroke. Tom so badly wants to get out of the hospital and see if he can work. He knows his thought process isn’t where it needs to be yet, and wonders how much will come back to perform at work successfully to keep his job.

The nurses and doctors have continually given Tom great advice and to have patience. Recovery will take time. So, after Tuesday we’ll know if there’s more damage and if/what will be the next step. Tom can’t continue to live with an IV of heparin to control things.

The boys and I were visiting tonight and brought cards. The speech person suggested to play games to help with memory, quickness, and etc. We played a few games of trash and Tom could follow along pretty well. Nerts was a bit more challenging, we went very slow so he wouldn’t get confused. He enjoyed the card playing.

I’ll let everyone know how things turn out.

Praying hard, Karen

[This was sent via email to Dave from Tom]

They ran a whole raft of tests, including an EKG, CAT scan, MRI, and carotid and artery echo tests. None of them showed any kind of fatty blockage, which is why they sent me home the next day. By the time I showed up, I had nothing other than my symptoms to describe, and they were looking for all the dangerous contributors (such as the hair in the drain). Lacking that problem, they basically said I might or might not have more symptoms in the future; the “top” risk factor (on top of a bunch of them that I don’t have) is the presence of an event.

So, on Saturday I got a totally different one. No phyisical ramifications at all–numbness, dizzy spells, thick tongue, or the rest–instead, I just couldn’t talk right. But it’s all apparently the same thing, where a hunk of the brain temporarily has to come up with a new source of blood from one of the other four “pillars” of arteries. After another CAT scan at admittance last night, the doctors immediately planned to do another MRI concentrating on heart/neck/base of skull, including a dye (‘A’ something or other). The cardiac surgeon believes one of the four arteries (I’m not sure…perhaps left carotid) has in infarction, where blood cells have intruded between the layers of the vessel barriers, and have gradually (or suddenly) displaced the normal flow of the artery. He has another test that is supposed to verify the flow characteristics tomorrow, along with a far less pleasant one (previously scheduled) to check on cardiac function through a probe in the throat. Not looking forward to that one.

If it ends up being what he thinks it is, the primary treatment is one (or both) of two blood thinner regimens, which is supposed to gradually displace the dead end intrusion in the layers of the blood vessel, allowing the main path to open back up. Or something like that. I’m pretty sure I butchered that all pretty badly.

Regarding the statin, they do schedule liver function tests periodically, and I have a more detailed liver function test coming up already. The discontinued the statin due to a minor anomaly in one of the liver readings, and there is further testing to be done.

So far they said I don’t get to miss election duty, but I’m not you sure I’ll even get out by Tuesday.

I have more information. This morning Tom had a MRA done (test where they add dye to view the arteries/blood vessels in neck and back of brain). That test found that his left artery is showing a blockage. Blood went the wrong way through the vessels and got caught. For this they treat with blood thinners and the artery repairs itself in six months time. This information was explained to us from the cardio surgeon that came and visited. He showed us the ex-ray and we could see the thinner looking artery. This same surgeon wants to still do a TEE (Echo test through the throat to the heart area) tomorrow morning to make sure there isn’t any blockage in that area.

Also, last night they ran a liver function test and discovered a bump on the liver enzymes. This is more than likely a side effect of the Zocar. For now, they have discontinued all cholesterol meds until after they re take the liver test tomorrow.

So, currently, Tom is being connected to Heparin blood thinner to help prevent the blockage from getting any bigger. He doesn’t like being connected to lots of cords and etc. He took a shower and is talking better. The rest of the day he’ll rest and they’ll monitor is speech which is the current symptom, and tomorrow morning do the two additional tests.

We liked the carido doctor,as he came in with a non-sense approach and very straight forward. Even drew pictures on dry ease board to help show us how/where blockage would be and act like. He feels pretty sure that the blockage is the cause of all of this.

Tom will be here at Immanuel until Monday afternoon. Election day is Tuesday, and he’s scheduled to work it and is wondering if he’ll get out in time to do this. Maybe or maybe not. Depends on tests tomorrow.

That’s all I know for now. Thanks for the all the prayers,
Karen

Here we go again. About 8:30 pm tonight, Tom and my dad were on there way home from Ben’s concert in Doane. Tom was having trouble getting his thoughts out, and speech was slurred at times. Dad immediately took him back to the hospital. They again did another cat scan and it came up with nothing. He is staying the night, and they’ve Id him as a high fall risk. In the morning, doctors will come in and do more tests. He’s in room 605 at Immanuel. Tom doesn’t have any numbness, but is running a slight fever. It’s frustrating as something is going on, but what is causing all of this?

Dave I’ll suggest your thoughts with the doctors about his meds.

Love you all, Karen